


Blood Is Not The Only Thing That's Red

by tess_genor



Series: Blood Is Not The Only Thing That's Red [1]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Captain America: The Winter Soldier, F/F, F/M, Hydra (Marvel), Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Multi, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Red Room (Marvel), Sex, Sex Education, Training
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-03-06 21:42:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13420224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tess_genor/pseuds/tess_genor
Summary: A girl's Seventeenth Year in the Red Room would determine her future outside of the school's walls. When Natalia is assigned to the greatest Trainer at the academy  she is forced to push herself beyond her limits.Her Eighteenth year however, would prove to be very different than what was expected.





	1. Her Hair Is Red

**Author's Note:**

> Just a concept I was throwing around after hearing the announcement of a possible Black Widow movie. Since it's canon that Bucky and Natasha at one point knew each other in the Red Room I decided to give my own take on their interactions. All of what I know about the RR comes from the MCU so details that are in the comics I won't know. 
> 
> Italics indicate that Russian is being spoken

Natalia Romanova was not your average girl. At age twelve she could knock out a full grown man, at age thirteen she could kill him. Four years later Natalia began to grow anxious. Her seventeenth year would be a major turning point for her training. All of the girls in the Room would be assigned a new handler at her seventeenth year. They always said that who you got assigned to would never determine your success, but all the girls knew that wasn’t true. 

The best handler was, by far The Soldier, _Soldat_. He was terrifying. His face was unmoving and his voice so low you had to strain to hear him. The worst part was his arm. His left arm was the topic of almost all conversations once Soldat had been brought to the Red Room. No one knew how or why his limb was taken from him, but no one dared to ask. His left arm was solid metal. It hurt like a bitch in training. Just the idea of it struck fear into the girls. 

\----------

It was time for Assignment Day. Natalia didn’t sleep well, but she hasn’t slept well in years. It was nothing new. One by one the girls in the pivotal classes had their names read aloud, followed by their new handler. That’s how Assignment Day worked.

Natalia knew she was one of the best girls in her class. Out of the fifteen girls Natalia was fairly certain she was top three. Maybe top two on a good day for her or a bad day for Vera. Vera was the closest Natalia had to a friend, but was also her biggest competition. Anna was the best in class, according to Natalia. But Anna had a mean streak and the handlers found her the most difficult to work with. Natalia prayed her obedience would give her a few points over the other girls. 

“The Soldier is going to be assigned to one of us today.” Vera tried to start a conversation as she set her plate down. Anna just rolled her eyes.

“Oh please, Vera. The whole class knows that I will be assigned to _Soldat_. Only the top student gets to train with him and I’m clearly the best choice. No offence Nat.” Anna playfully shot back at Vera. With cold eyes to show she wasn’t kidding. 

“I don’t know, Anna, Nat did beat you in marksmanship and fluency during Assessments.” Vera calls back hoping to put Anna in her place. 

“What do you think Nat?” Anna says with a sickly sweetness to her sing-song. “Do you really think you have a shot to be placed with The Soldier?” 

“I think I have just a good a chance as anyone here. We all went through the same Assessments.” Natalia said. Her voice as flat as usual. Anna just rolled her eyes as Vera smirked in Anna's direction. 

“Shhh. They’re coming!” Vera whispered as the Headmaster, Madame B, The Soldier, and a few other trainers walked into the room. The room immediately hushed. If you really tried, you could hear the constant recalibration of The Soldier’s left arm. The girls looked nervously at each other. The only people in the world who could understand what they were going through also happened to be their competition. The older girls blushed and turned away from Soldat, embarrassed by their reactions to him. The younger girls never understood this reaction to him. He seemed more menacing than a cause for any fluster. 

The Headmaster moved to the center of the aisle. The Dining Hall was nothing stately like the rest of the Red Room. It was a simple room lined with oak tables and chairs. The room was a dull grey with intricate white molding. It would’ve been prettier if the lights were brighter. The kitchen was off to the side, leaving three exits from the room: The single door to the kitchen, the sliding door to the courtyard, and the glass French Doors leading to the foyer. All girls rose from their chairs with their arms behind their backs. He gave a slight nod and the students were seated once more.

“As you are all well aware, today is Assignment Day. Starting with Year Five.” He read through the twenty-five girls quicky. They were still so young. Natalia could almost remember her Year Five. That’s when they forced the girls to watch those cartoons. She shuddered. That’s when they start to break the girls’ spirits. Natalia hopes that the girls are broken quickly, putting up a fight just makes it worse. Year Five always started with thirty girls and ended with twenty-five. “Year Ten.” Another list of girls were recited off quickly. Year Ten marked the beginning of violent sparring within the class. A few girls would die of exhaustion or would go to their rooms never to come back. The twenty-five from Year Five would go on to become the twenty in Year Ten. “Next is year Fifteen.” Natalia would always say that Year Fifteen was the worst. Year Fifteen would pit the girls against each other more ruthlessly. The loser of the sparring match would be killed by her opponent. Twenty from Year Ten would become fifteen from Year Fifteen. 

“Year Seventeen.” Natalia’s class stood up and faced the Headmaster. He looked directly at Galina and shook his head. She would be the first to leave the class. Galina took one last look around the room and walked to her quarters. She would not come back. The Headmaster read through the eleven other names and handlers as smoothly as ever. As if he wasn’t deciding the fate of these young women. “Vera, Dimitri. Anna, Maksim. Natalia, _Soldat_.” Natalia and Anna audibly gasped. Natalia was expected to be the top of her class. The student to who the coveted title would be passed on to. 

“Congratulations, Natalia.” Anna was clearly pissed. “I’ll see you in the sparring ring. Better bring your A game. And your new handler so he can see what he is missing.” 

“ _Oh fuck off, Anna._ ” Vera pushed her away from Natalia, “She was assigned to him because she’s more deserving of him.” Natalia looks away at the compliment. Anna just storms away. 

Vera turns her eyes to Natalia and gives her a sad smile. Natalia knows that she’s going to be outcasted from her class for a while. 

\----------

As Natalia goes to exit the Dining Hall she is stopped by Madame B. Madame B reaches out to block Natalia from leaving the room. The swiftest bit of motion would’ve caught Natalia’s attention but it was obvious that Madame B believed this to be of the utmost importance. 

“ _Natalia, you must come with me to my office. We must talk._ ” Her voice was as cold as always. Natalia didn’t know why she expected anything different. 

“ _Yes, Madame._ ” Natalia replied in the same emotionless tone. Russian was the prefered tongue of the Madame. She thought English to be a filthy thing coming from a woman’s mouth.

Natalia secretly loved Madame’s office. It felt so regal to Natalia. It has deep cherry flooring, with a matching desk and bookshelves. Maybe Natalia was just partial to the red wood because it was the only other thing in the school that resembled her hair. The walls were a deep green and the only light source was a green stained glass lamp in the far corner next to a bookshelf. Under the lamp sat a black leather fanback chair. Natalia longed to feel the cool fabric under her. 

“ _Natalia. This year will prove to be the most difficult for you. You should know that you were not the first choice for Soldat. However, when considering long run ability over current talents, it was obvious that you would outperform your peers with the proper training._ ” Madame paused to let Natalia realize what she was saying. “ _Soldat is not an easy handler. He will expect nothing less than perfect in every aspect. He demands the highest level of respect from his assignments and you are no exception._ ” Another pause. “ _He will push you beyond your mental, emotional, and physical limits. Year Seventeen is solely for pain tolerance and interrogation techniques. The Soldat will not do anything to you that has not been done to himself. You are to trust him completely, Natalia. Do you understand? Do not be afraid of him or the work. It is manageable. And you, you will become the best to ever leave our academy._ ” Madame ended her sentence with the slightest raise in her voice and smile on her face. Natalia knew then that Madame was proud of her. Natalia relished these rare moments when she could impress those above her. 

“ _Thank you for taking a chance on me,_ ” Natalia replied, ” _I will do everything in my power to uphold the expectations placed on the academy and myself._ ” Madame looked pleased with Natalia’s response. 

“ _Soldat, come in. It is time your student finally met you._ ” Madame spoke with her head facing the door, but her eyes still locked on Natalia.

Immediately the door opened and in walked the biggest man Natalia had ever seen. The Soldier easily had to be over six feet tall and weighed at least two hundred and twenty pounds. He could break Natalia’s neck with just a wave of his hand. His movements were quiet for his build, save his left arm. Natalia was unable to pull her eyes away from the glistening metal. It wasn’t until The Soldier cleared his throat that Natalia reached out her hand to shake his already waiting hand. Natalia flushed with gravity of her mistake.

“Hello Natalia. I will be your handler for the next two years. You may call me Soldier, _Soldat_ , Teacher, _Yasha_ , or anything else that will make you comfortable. Our time together needs to have absolute trust and I need your word that you will respect this.” The Soldier’s voice was softer than she expected it to be.

“It is nice to formally meet you, Sir. I give you my word that I will trust you. I have no reason to doubt you or Madame other wise.” Natalia was sure of her response. The Soldier frowed when he heard it though.

“I do hope that we can move past formalities as soon as possible. I would like to start your training immediately. There is much to learn and prepare for.” The Soldier directed this statement more towards Madame B than Natalia.

The Madame gestured to the door and The Soldier moved to hold it open for Natalia. As she walked passed The Soldier and thanked him, she caught him look her up and down. Natalia thought nothing of it and continued to the foyer. The foyer was Natalia’s favorite room besides Madame’s office. The foyer had three white marble staircases winding down from the quarters. Once on the second floor the hallway to the left went to the student quarters and the hallway to the right led to the trainer’s quarters. Soldat began to walk towards Natalia’s quarters, leaving Natalia to walk to his left, one step behind.

“Goodnight, Natalia. Our training starts promptly at seven thirty tomorrow morning. I recommend getting a better night’s rest than you normally do.” The Soldier paused at Natalia’s door. “I look forward to seeing what you are capable of.”

Natalia flashed him a quick smile and could tell he relaxed at that. “Goodnight, Soldat. I’ll see you tomorrow. Should I do anything to prepare?” Natalia knew that most training sessions required some activity before hand.

“Just be prepared to not know what’s going on and to be ok with that.” And with that The Soldier turned on his heel and walked to the Trainers’ Quarters.

Natalia let herself into her room and immediately laid out on her bed preparing for the handcuff that came every night. When the woman came to her bed, instead of attaching the handcuff to Natalia, she removed it from the bed. “The Soldier’s girls never use their handcuff. They are expected to stay and receive their training from him in full.”

That night Natalia slept on her stomach. She didn’t wake up once throughout the night.


	2. His Star Is Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Soldier beings to explain the Eighteenth Year to Natalia. Turns out, things were not as she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello so this chapter took a turn I actually didn't plan for. If non/con or dub/con makes you uncomfortable then here is your (trigger) warning. I will handle it the best I can going forward. I know first hand it's a touchy subject. 
> 
> Also if you want to see where I got my information:  
> Age of consent: https://www.ageofconsent.net/world  
> Sexuality definition: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexuality
> 
> (Don't forget to give kudos and comment! If Im having a rough day Ill go backand read the comments because yall make my day<3)

Natalia Romanova had completed her Seventeenth Year. She was top of her class now. Anna had given in during her training. The girls were shocked when it was announced that Anna had failed one of the Assessments. Failure was not an option.

“ _You never fail._ ” Madame B told Natalia when she was found crying over the loss of her friend. “ _Get up. There is no weeping for the weak. You are Russian._ ”

Madame B was right, Natalia was far better in the long run than Anna ever could had hoped to be. The Soldier was relentless. Natalia would compare her tests to Vera's and was surprised to find that The Soldier had increased Natalia’s tests based on everyone else.

Natalia could hold her breath for almost twelve minutes. Her peers could hold theirs for about seven. Natalia knew how to free herself when bound to a chair, her peers couldn’t. Natalia was used to electric shocks and had multiple patches of smooth skin from branding. The Soldier wasn’t joking when he said everything that had happened to him would also happen to Natalia. The things that The Soldier had confided in Natalia with, she knew he trusted her, and in turn she trusted him back. Truthfully, they were the only two people in the world who understood what they had gone through. Not even the other girls could relate to Natalia. She almost felt alone, but it didn’t matter, not as long as she could still talk to The Soldier.

\----------

When Natalia was woken up suddenly during the night by The Soldier she put her guard up. The trainers were not supposed to be in the students’ quarters. Especially not the male trainers.

“Get up. Madame B needs to speak to you. It cannot wait.” The Soldier shook Natalia’s shoulder and then left to wait outside the room. Natasha quickly slipped her shoes on and put her hair up. She went to the door and found that the Soldier had gone. Sighing, Natalia headed across the white marble floor, down the center staircase, and into Madame’s office.

“ _Natalia, child come here._ ” Madame B’s voice was hushed. It came from the corner where the lamp and chair stood. No lights were on though, Natalia had to trust her memory of the room. There was a rustle of fabric and the lamp turned on, casting a sickly glow over the office. “ _You have surpassed the standards set forth by the Headmaster and the Academy. I am proud of you Natalia. Tonight marks your Eighteenth Year here at The Red Room. In fact, this very minute brings you into your Eighteenth Year. It was eighteen years ago, this instant, that an orphan with green eyes and pale hair was left here for us to raise._ ”

This was the first time Natalia had ever been told the story of how she ended up in the Red Room. She expected no less, no mother in their right mind would willingly leave their child to such a place. Stoic as ever, Natalia turned to the woman sitting down.

“ _Madame I don’t understand. Soldat said that it was urgent._ ” Madame stood up and walked over to her desk, picking up a manilla folder with Natalia’s name on it. Natalia had seen it before, this folder was her file. It listed all of her achievements and contained all of her records.

“ _It is urgent, Natalia. Since it is now your Eighteenth year you will move onto the next phase of your training. However, this will be very different than anything you've ever experienced before. It is not going to be any more pain training._ ” Natalia breathed a little once she realized that she wasn’t in trouble. “ _The Eighteenth Year marks a very important year in the life of our girls here at the Red Room. You will begin a new topic for training. Do not worry though, Natalia, it will be painless and you might actually find this next section of your training quite enjoyable. Soldat, come in. You and Natalia will be brought down to the basement level rooms. Natalia, from here on out Soldat will be your guide for everything. You will have limited contact with the other girls in your class. The information that will be shared with you is confidential and not to be shared with anyone under Year Eighteen._ ” The grimness in Madame B’s voice worried Natalia. What could be so secret that only the older girls would know about it?

The Soldier entered and took Natalia by the hand and lead her to the door of Madame’s office. She exited the room but The Soldier stayed inside. Natalia could hear The Soldier and Madame B whispering to each other but she couldn’t make out what was being said. The only thing she could pick up was The Soldier gesturing at Natalia through the obscured glass and Madame B handing him her file.

When The Soldier exited the office he motioned for Natalia to follow him to the service elevator that lead to the basement. Natalia and The Soldier stepped into the close quarters and descended two stories down to reach the basement. Natalia had no idea what to expect.

\----------

“You can take your hair down. This isn’t going to be physical.” The Soldier didn’t look at Natalia as he spoke to her. He seemed to be very focused on looking anywhere but his student.

”If I put my hair down we will match.” Natalia tried to lighten the mood. She knew that her trainer was never one to laugh, but she caught the little smirk that graced his lips.

Once the elevator doors opened Natalia gasped. She was never allowed in the basement until now. She didn’t know what to expect going into it, but it certainly wasn’t the warm glow that reached her. There was a sprawling hallway with peach colored marble flooring, a soft cream on the walls, and overhead lighting that mimicked sunlight. It seemed so inviting and comfortable in contrast to the facility above their heads.

”I always love seeing my girls’ reactions to this part of the Red Room. I feel that it suits the next phase of training.” At the mention of training, Natalia tried to shut down any emotion that was playing across her face. Madame B had told her that this next year would be enjoyable, but Natalia never enjoyed anything at the Red Room.

”Everyone keeps mentioning the Eighteenth Year training, but no one will tell me what it is. Why is it such a secret?” Usually she knew better than to question her handler, but after a year of anticipation Natalia hoped that her trainer would understand.

”I will explain everything to you once we get to our assigned rooms.” That was all The Soldier would say. He just continued to stride forward, making his way through the snaking passages below the ground.

Natalia knew they had arrived at their rooms for two reasons. One, The Soldier had stopped walking. Two, the wooden door had a plaque screwed onto it that held their full names on it. Natalia never knew the name of her trainer, she had always just called him Teacher to his face, or referenced him by saying her trainer or The Soldier.

”I never knew your name.” She mused at him.

”It’s never used.” He shook his head at the letters on the door in front of them. Almost as if he was clearing a memory from his mind.

”James Buchanan Barnes. You’re English then?” Natalia learned more about her handler from three words than she had in a year of training.

”I don’t like the name James. I never use it.” The Soldier seemed uncomfortable being the topic of conversation.

”What name do you use then?” Natalia didn’t want to upset her handler by calling him the wrong name.

The Soldier paused to think. “I usually just go by The Soldier or _Soldat_. My old handlers called me The Asset but that was before I came to the Red Room. Usually I use whatever my handler prefers.” The Soldier’s words seemed slightly rehearsed, as if he was repeating someone else’s line.

”You have a handler? Here at the Red Room? I thought that the Trainers were handlers.” Natalia did not know what to make of the information that her handler was not autonomous. 

”I was brought here by the Headmaster. He is my handler, just the same as I am yours.” The sentence ended with an unspoken threat that Natalia understood well enough to know to stop asking questions.

“Thank you for telling me _Soldat_.” Natalia quickly tried to salvage the errors she had made by asking questions about her handler. The Soldier rolled his eyes at her obvious attempt to rectify the situation.

“Natalia, _rebenok_ , you are a woman now. Stop following the rules of the past. The world is now yours for the taking.” With a quick, sweeping motion of his right arm, The Soldier opened the wooden door and stepped inside, dragging the young woman in with him.

\----------

It was its own little apartment. Beautiful herringbone wood floors went through all the rooms, every piece of furniture was a deep brown leather. Natalia knew that the setup meant that she and The Soldier would never have a reason to leave these quarters unless they wanted to.

The living space had a beautiful open floor plan. The door entered the living room, which was the focal point of the space. Somewhere in the living room a radio had Tchaikovsky softly playing. Off to the right was an eat in kitchen and to the left were two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a closet, and stairs leading downstairs.

“This is for us Natalia. We will be spending all of our time together for the next year.” The Soldier’s voice had an inflection in it that Natalia did not understand.

“Why does the class have to be seperated?” Natalia asked, knowing that The Soldier would most likely not tell her. “What is the next phase in training?”

“Why my _uvazhayemyye_ , your next year is all about sexuality. The Academy left some important details out of human reproduction. It is my job as your handler for your Eighteenth Year to fill in the gaps that were purposefully left out.” The Soldier had a playful gleam in his eye. One that Natalia usually only saw after she had bested him in sparring.

Natalia was shocked to hear that The Academy had taught their girls wrong on purpose. It seemed so unlike the Red Room. The girls were supposed to be prepared for anything. This felt like a low blow and a discredit to the Red Room. Leaving a major part out about reproductive biology sounded like a mishap that would normally be avoided.

The Soldier moved to sit on the two seater couch and motioned for her to sit with him. Once Natalia was situated on the soft couch, her handler did something that took her by surprised. He removed his black tactical jacket that he always seemed to wear. Natalia knew that his left arm was cybernetic but didn’t know that the metal reached into his torso. Since she could only see up to his mid-bicep she assumed that his shoulder was flesh. But the metal wove its way into his body more than she thought possible, meeting his chest in a rough ridge of scar tissue and stitches that could’ve been handled better. What caught her off guard the most was the design on his shoulder, opposite the joint. It was a star. It was angry and red. The color made it stand out among the silver in a fierce way. Natalia reached her hand out and traced the perimeter of the shape. The plates whirred and shifted beneath her fingers.

”Your arm is metal?” Natalia gapped at the sight.

”I thought you were smarter than that Natalia. You have been on the opposite end of that arm many times.” The Soldier knew what she meant of course. He was just trying to be playful.

”I think it’s time I fully explained things to you. You see the Red Room has a strict code of rules for trainers and a set of tests that need to be passed for students to move on. However, there is one phase of training that will only be passed to those who come of age. That is sexuality and that age is eighteen. In Russia, the age of consent is sixteen, but it varies depending on the country. Here at the Academy it is customary to wait till the eighteenth year to make sure the girl is strong enough to be able to use these skills in the field.” He intensely looked at Natalia. “What you were taught about reproduction is not incorrect, it’s just not the full story.” Natalia cocked her head and opened her mouth to question, but The Soldier shook his head to quiet her. “To start off, sexuality is the state of being interested in sex. It is also a spectrum; that is to say, in a way at least, it is possible to have sex with anyone. And your future work may require that. It is nothing to be ashamed of, those some may try to tell you otherwise. But for you, your sexuality is one of your greatest weapons. Along with your brain. Use it to your advantage.” He paused. He could tell Natalia was following but was not making the last jump to the conclusion. “Sex is actually pleasurable. It feels amazing. The only point of it is not just to create offspring.” With this Natalia’s mouth actually dropped.

”So what your saying is that this year’s training is going to feel good? That Madame B was not lying when she said that there wouldn’t be any pain training this year?” Natalia’s voice was filled with a new excitement _Soldat_ had never seen before.

The Soldier explained that the Academy assigns the girls to a new trainer for their Seventeenth Year so that they would be comfortable with them for their Eighteenth Year. He briefly surmised what Natalia previously knew about sex. She knew the same as the others girls he had worked with. He enjoyed his time with the girls, but some part of him felt off. He couldn’t help but feel that something was off. He ignored the thought that he had been in this situation before, but many years ago with someone special, now was not the time to have a break in training.

”I am now going to ask you a few question and make some statements. You must respond to them for this next leg in your training to begin. Do you understand?”

”Yes, I understand _Soldat_.” Natalia focused on The Soldier’s mouth. Not wanting to miss a word he says.

”Do you, Natalia Romanova, consent to me being your Handler for your Eighteenth Year here at the Red Room? If not, another Handler will be provided for you.”

”What if I don’t consent in general? Not even to my training?” A brief quiver in her voice betrayed her.

”Natalia, you know that is not an option. If you do not consent to the training requirements of your Eighteenth Year then you will be expelled from the Red Room. Resulting in your death. You are the most talented girl in the class. Now answer my question. Do you consent?”

”I, Natalia Romanova, consent to you, James Buchanan Barnes, to be my Handler for my Eighteenth Year. I do not request to be placed with another Handler.” Her voice dropped with the gravity of the situation. Though she knew what would happen, she did not fully understand what was to come.

”In this next year will will train you in numerous activities that are required and performed in sex. Sex being an overarching category. I am not at liberty to tell you the next activity until you complete the one that precedes it. Do you understand?” There was a glint in her Handler’s eye. He couldn’t help but to enjoy this. It wasn’t everyday you got to be intimate with such a beautiful and talented girl.

”I understand.” She didn’t dare say more. She knew that there was more to be said.

”Then, Natalia, you are now fully immersed in your Eighteenth Year. For one year, from this day, you are not excused from any training. However, no “short coming” will be held against you. Yet, you will not be allowed to move on to the training of the Nineteenth Year until all material for this year is covered. Do you understand?”

”Yes, Soldier, I understand.”

”Good. I look forward to your training. Your bedroom is the door on the left of the stairs. Get some sleep. We start tomorrow. Goodnight.” With that The Soldier rose off the couch and made his way into his bedroom, turned, winked at his student, and then closed his door. It closed silently.

”Goodnight, _Soldat_.” Natalia whispered. She headed to her room and immediately laid on the bed. She closed her eyes hoping for sleep.

She knew she wouldn’t sleep at all. Not after their conversation. Not with all the anticipation building in her stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all!  
> I am sorry that it has taken me this long to update. College life is not all its cracked up to be. But don't worry! I have a lot planned for this (it's just a matter of actually writing it). If anyone wants to contact me, my tumblr is the best place @proton-photon-crouton


	3. Roses Are Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first step in training for the Eighteenth Year begins.

At some point during the night she must have drifted off to sleep. Natalia woke up on her side, her left arm trapped beneath her and numb. _Well shit_ she thought, _hope this won’t interfere too much with today’s lesson_. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Now that she was fully awake, and that it was bright out (which she made a mental note to ask about later) she could finally take a good look around the room.

Natalia was amazed. She had never slept in a bed that big before. It was at least double the size of her previous bed. It had a rich brown bed frame and slatted headboard. There were matching brown dressers and a nightstand. Standing up, her feet sank down into the plush grey carpeting. It matched the grey sheets of the bed. Natalia would have sworn she was in a hotel if it wasn’t for the embroidered pillowcases: a small red insignia of two R’s. It was obviously the sign of the Red Room. She could never escape the reach of her Academy.

As she made her way towards her door she smelled coffee. The closer she got the more food she could smell and hear. Was The Soldier cooking for her? She stood just behind her door. She could hear bacon sizzling, smell the coffee percolating, and if she really concentrated she could even smell pancakes, or was it waffles.

”Natalia, stop lingering at the door. It’s your own apartment, you don’t have to be scared to move freely about it.” How did he know she was stopped at the door. Her teacher never ceased to amaze her with his skills.

Natalia opened her door and was greeted with the full, warm smell of breakfast food and the sight of her Trainer. The Soldier was in grey sweatpants, a black t-shirt, and his tactical boots. Never a good sign. He smiled at her and handed her a plate of food. She walked over to coffee pot and poured two mugs full of the black liquid.

”How do you take your coffee?” She called back over her shoulder.

”One spoon of sugar. That’s all.” the Soldier’s actions were nicer than his words. He was holding back.

”You know, Natalia, I don’t want you to feel too confined or uncomfortable. The Training is going to feel awkward at first but you’re a fast learner. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. We’re the only people here, no bugs at all.” His guard was beginning to drop. A slight relaxation in his voice and it dipped lower than normal.

”No bugs? That’s hard to believe.” Natalia could feel herself relaxing. “You said I could ask anything-” she began.

”And I meant it, Natalia.” The Soldier put down his cup of coffee and looked at his student. Natalia could see that something was playing behind his eyes.

”Why has your personality changed? You’re not as stoic and calculating as you usually are.” She blushed with her question. In any other circumstance she knows she would have been hit by her Trainer. And then sent to Madame B’s office.

The Soldier chuckled and then downed his coffee, grimacing at the bitter taste and hot sting. “I’ve only relaxed my demeanor around you. I’m still as sharp. For instance, since you came out from hiding behind your bedroom door you have touched a plate, two mugs, the coffee pot, your utensils, the table, your chair, and your hair seven times. Only the mugs would give complete fingerprints. You noticed that I am in my tactical boots but failed to notice that my hair was down, so I’m not in combat mode. Yet, somehow you were brave enough to ask me a question that would have normally ended with physical repercussions.” As he spoke his voice became more steel like, and he rose to his full height, towering over her from across the table. Natalia sat straight up, her back pressed against the back of the chair. The hair on her neck stood on end and her blood rushed cold. How bad had she messed up?

”Oh, Natalia. Relax child. I’m playing with you. I was instructed to have a more informal attitude for this Year. If you find it unsuitable I can resume my regular attitude, however, I feel that it would be counterproductive for what I’m trying to accomplish.” The Soldier sat back down and picked up a piece of bacon like nothing had happened. Natalia eyed him carefully, how she wish she was in better combat gear. It would have made her feel safer. 

”I apologize if I worried you. I’ll keep that in mind for future reference. Finish up eating, then shower and get changed. It doesn’t matter what you wear, just nothing too baggy. I’m going to do the same. Our lesson starts once we’re both done. Be prompt though. After our lesson you begin rehearsals for your eighteenth Year Production.” _Soldat_ combed his hair behind his ears as he spoke. He then motioned for Natalia’s plate and cleared the table. He smiled at Natalia and moved into his room.

Natalia had completely forgotten about the Eighteenth Year Production. For every Eighteenth Year, the girls would put on a full length ballet. The Red Room needed to keep up its cover as a the Academy, a highly selective ballet school. Natalia would be the prima, the main dancer. The other girls in her Year would be the soloist, those with major parts but not the lead. All the other girls would be in the corps ensemble. She had no idea how she would manage to keep up on her Training and her ballet.

\--------------------

Once the two had finished with their morning routines they met in the common area of the shared apartment.

The Soldier gestured to the stairs between their two rooms. “I figured we should have this conversation in a more neutral area than our living room. If you rather have it up here…” He trailed off waiting for Natalia’s response. She liked that she got to have more of a say in this part of her Training.

”Downstairs is fine. I’d like to see down there anyway.” Without thinking she grabbed her Handler’s left wrist and pulled him down the stairs. “Come on! Let’s get started.” This was the first time Natalia had heard him laugh. She liked to make him laugh.

The Soldier stepped in front of her and flicked on the lights. It was a small room with a pull out couch, a coffee table, and a mini fridge. There was a half bathroom to the right and a locked door in the far left corner of the room as well. It looked as if someone had taken a bedroom and tried to make it a den as well.

”Can you pull the couch out, Natalia? I have to grab some things from upstairs.” Natalia nodded and made her way to the couch as she heard her Trainer head back up the stairs they had descended. The bed already had sheets, grey, like the ones upstairs. She used the seat cushions as pillows and waited for The Soldier to come back into the little room.

As he creaked back down the stairs Natalia turned over her shoulder to look at her Trainer. His left arm cradled a cylindrical glass bottle and his right hand grasped a small hand towel. Natalia must have showed her confusion because The Soldier just smiled kindly at her.

”Don’t worry, Natalia. This will not hurt at all and if anything this will help you before your first rehearsal tonight.” The Soldier set the two items down on the bed and gestured for his trainee to move over. As Natalia shifted on the bed The Soldier pulled his shirt off and placed it near the headboard. Natalia couldn’t help but stare at the rippling movement just below the surface of his skin.

”Come back to me Natalia.” Her trainer chided catching her stolen glance. She blushed red as her hair, or his star, or a rose, or even blood.

”What we are starting off with is something simple: just a massage. I assume you already know the basics to this,” Natalia nodded, “perfect, just go for it then.” The Soldier went to lay down on his stomach but stopped half way. “The point of this exercise is to begin to acquaint each other with our bodies, explore each other if you will. You will give me a massage first and then we will reverse positions. The glass bottle is almond oil and the towel is for once you finish. I will inform you of when it is time to switch.” With that the Soldier was hers to explore, his hands down lifelessly at his sides, breathing even.

Natalia picked up the bottle of oil and poured a small portion in her palm to warm up. As she placed the bottle on the floor not to spill it, her Handler reminds her that the oil is good for the skin and not to be too stingy with it near his scars. She slowly lowered her hands to the man below her. Sitting off to his right side she began where his back meets the base of his neck moving in small circles, sure to begin to relax the muscles there. Natalia hears the Soldier stifle a small breathe and adds more pressure until she feels him relax into the bed. Natalia lightens the intensity of the small movements and begins to increase their distance, careful not to get any of the oil on _Soldat’s_ metal arm. Once Natalia was satisfied with her work on his right shoulder she starts to wander further down his body.

Her fingertips barely ghosting the dip of his spine. Her light brushes caused goosebumps to follow in their wake and she smirked at the effect she had on her Trainer. Wanting to disperse her pressure evenly she swung her left leg over his body and straddled his thighs. The Soldier readjusted his legs ever so slightly to redistribute the new weight. His lower back held much more tension than she expected, the prosthetic probably the cause. As she leaned forward to increase the intensity she brushed against the back of his thighs and both shivered and softly chuckled at the sensation. Slowly she dragged her thumbs outward from his spine, deep enough to dent his skin. The Soldier couldn’t help but groan at the relief she was giving him. After a while, Natalia thought that her Handler had fallen asleep. She carefully lifted herself off of the man and reached down for the bottle, once she reappeared she was greeted with a half-lidded grin. She kneed her way around him to his left side.

Once again pouring a small amount of the oil into her palm she took a closer look at the barrier between smooth metal and smooth skin. All the scar tissue was slightly discolored from the rest of his body. It was smooth like a branding but dull like a scab. It was all crisscrossed from where there body had healed and like there was an attempt at grafting. She was gentle at first, unsure of the pain already in the area but she quickly realized that more of her strength would be needed for any relief. Moving at a slower pace than she did prior and using only her pointer and middle finger she pressed directly into the lattice work of his left shoulder. As she pressed further down she rocked side to side, feeling the tiny snap of muscle fibers releasing. Natalia noticed that the longer she worked on his shoulder the tenser the middle of his back was, so she was careful to check the rest of his back as she continued to work on his shoulder.

Finally, she reached a point in his care that she was content with and began to trace lines up and down his back- allowing herself to become familiar with her Trainer in a way she was never before allowed. She built up her courage and began to inch closer to small dimples of his lower back, a slight chill ran through the Soldier’s body. Natalia, using her nails, lightly dragged them up and down his back and finally one last time. Her Trainer must’ve reached a point that he too was happy with since he slowly sat up and caught her eyes with his own.

”Thank you, Natalia. If you could just go over me with the towel, I don’t enjoy the chill of the air on the oil.” Natalia quickly obliged and marveled at the plushiness of the fabric. _Soldat_ turned to his student and gestured for her to lay down next. “If you could just pull you leotard down so you back is exposed.” The Soldier’s command was not unexpected and Natalia complied. She gently pulled the thin straps off her shoulders and slipped her arms out, folding the unused part around her waist. After she was settled on the bed the Soldier reached down and gently rubbed the chill from her back, the plating of his left fingers catching just enough on her undergarment that his right hand undid the clasp of her sports bra, fully exposing her back to him. Using both hands he picked up either end of the garment and placed it at her sides. Once again her Trainer placed both hands on her. The metal arm was gentler than she was used to based on her previous training. Though it was noticeably cooler than his right arm, the temperature difference was not drastic enough to be uncomfortable. Natalia could hear and feel the Soldier move and pick up the bottle of the sweet smelling oil. Without warning the cool liquid hit her back and he laughed at how she tensed up.

”Natalia, why would you tense like that before a massage? I thought I trained you better than that.” Natalia gritted her teeth and braced herself for a lecture and a punishment. “Or perhaps you just want my hands on you for a longer time, hmm?” Suddenly, the Soldier was in her ear, his bare chest pressed fully against her exposed back. He couldn’t help but think how well her small frame fit under his larger one. “Do not worry, little spider, I will take care of you,” slowly he pushed up from her, intentionally keeping their hips locked. Natalia worried her flush would travel down her neck and be seen.

The Soldier realized his mistake when he looked down and saw on his chest the sheen of the oil that was supposed to be for his student. Shrugging he swiped a hand across his front and began to massage the young woman below him.

Natalia wasn’t sure if she was taught something else incorrectly or if her Trainer was messing with her. His massage felt very different from what she thought she had provided him with. In what only could be described as a creeping motion, he trailed his hands along the outline of her body, down and then back up her arms, around her shoulders, and down her sides. Once his hands neared her hips he gripped them just hard enough that her skin indented.

”Natalia, do you know what arousal is?” The Soldier’s voice was a strange mix of playful and darkness. Trying to focus on his words Natalia replied, “It’s a strong response that calls to action?” unsure of what this had to do with the Eighteenth Year. Her Trainer’s soft response broke though her train of thought, “Technically speaking yes, but it is so much more than that.” Keeping both hands on her hips, the Soldier pushes himself up off of her and crawls his way to the head of the bed. Out of the corner of her eye Natalia could see he was sitting cross legged. Her Trainer leaned forward and redid her bra. “Natalia, sit up and face me.” Natalia obliged, not that she had a choice and not that she wanted to disobey him anyway.

Natalia kneeled on the bed facing her Trainer. With her sitting on her legs and him slouched comfortably they were even in height. The Soldier gently raised his left arm, which jarringly reflected the soft light of the room, to the side of Natalia’s face and instinctively she leaned into it. “That’s right, it’s natural isn’t it.” The Soldier’s voice had the same darkness Natalia heard before but she still could not place it. “ _Soldat_ , I still don’t know what’s happening…” She knew better than to say that, she was told that she would not know what was happening it was part of the training. He gave her a twisted smile and she felt her stomach drop. With just the slightest pressure the Soldier brought her face to his, barely any space between the two. His other hand slowly brushed up her leg, to her hip, then to her hand, guiding her hand to his chest.

”Arousal, when involved with sex, is emotional and physical. It’s a desire, a basic need that nearly everyone has. Physically, it is when blood rushes to the genital area. But usually arousal is considered more emotional in women and more physical in men, you must keep that in mind.” Natalia didn’t even know that she was moving until she broke eye contact and saw that she was on her Handler’s lap, straddling him. As she went to look at the Soldier he cocked his head and started to rock gently underneath her. The pressure and soft motions were dizzying. Mouth agape she saw that her Trainer too was breathing is hot, short puffs. Natalia felt the Soldier’s pants tightening under her and she knew that with the placement of his hand that he could tell she was enjoying this as well. As quick as her pleasure rose it was taken away.

The Soldier shook his head, meaning for her to stay quiet. “I do believe that you have rehearsal to get to. It starts in eight minutes.” As he said this he slipped her bodysuit back on and flattened her straps. “Are you joking? How am I supposed to dance and focus now?” Natalia’s frustration manifesting in her voice. The Soldier just shook his head once more and pushed his student off the bed. “Get going, the Headmaster, my Handler, will have both of our heads if the Prima is late.” It still bothered Natalia that _Soldat_ had a Handler. Of course all the other Handlers had to report to the Headmaster, but this was different.

Natalia headed up the stairs, her pointe shoes and skirt in her bag, her sweat pants and slippers created a white noise that echoed down the warmly lit hallway. As she made her way towards the service elevator the other suites for the girls in the Eighteenth Year opened up. The aroma of almond oil filled the hallway and the girls all give each other knowing looks. Vera brushes up against Natalia and lets out a yelp at the contact. Natalia turned around to look back at her room and sees the Soldier standing in the door frame watching her walk away. He winks at her and closes the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi lovies, I know that alot of you have been asking for this update for a while now, months actually, and I am sorry for making you all wait that long I hope it was worth the wait. I amhoping to update a bit more frequently than I normally do, since I know what it's like to wait for someone to update a story I enjoy. Possibly hoping to keep to a schedule but I only write at night so we will see how that turns out. Chapter four is planned but I havent started writing. Possibly will start tomorrow but who knows. Again if yall want to contact me my tumblr is @proton-photon-crouton <3 Please leave kudos and comments I honestly wouldn;t continue writing if it wasn't for all of your great feedback


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